An Anchor for Hope
by DragonRider1989
Summary: This picks up right after episode 11 ends and is basically an AU of how episode 12 could happen. That's all I'll say because I don't want to spoil the storyline. This is only my second story on here and so I would really appreciate any feedback.
1. Chapter 1

Mac and Jack had never been particularly lucky around Christmas time. It seemed like the last time either of them had had something that passed for a normal Christmas was at least 15 years ago. With a history like that Mac had a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit every year and this year was no different. However, every year, despite the odds stacked against them and how it would inevitably turn into a painful time of the year, Jack was always there with his unflagging optimism trying to cheer him up.

"Our bad lucks' bound to run out sometime, Mac. This year Lady Luck is gonna pick on someone else, you just wait and see."

Mac always appreciated it, but never put any weight on Jack's rosy outlook so when he answered the phone to Cage fighting to live, he almost wasn't surprised. Angry, yes, surprised no. He also wasn't surprised by the crushing weight of guilt that fell on him the second he found out who had put Cage in the hospital. Sometimes he felt like Murdoc was this black hole that was attached to him, who he couldn't shake no matter how hard he tried. That wasn't even the worst part though, the worst part was watching that black hole hurt the people he cared about over and over again and feeling helpless to protect them.

As he, Jack and the rest of the team waited to hear if Cage would make it, Mac felt himself withdrawing into himself, tempted to isolate himself from anyone he cared about so maybe, just maybe Murdoc would leave them alone, but there was just one problem with his plan: Jack. Jack's job was to watch Mac's back and he took it very seriously, not just when they were on a mission, but when they were home. Right now, watching Mac's back meant not letting him isolate himself and so that's exactly what Jack set about doing. He followed him wherever he went keeping him company and fighting to keep Mac from turtling. He knew that just telling Mac that this wasn't his fault and so he shouldn't feel guilty about it wouldn't work, so he tried a different tactic.

"Hey Mac," Jack began with a lot more cheerfulness than he was currently feeling, "what do you think those presents that Cage was picking up were? I bet mine was something from Texas so I would feel like I had a little piece of home with me for the holidays. What do you think?

"This is your home Jack, we both know that," Mac responded tiredly, knowing exactly what Jack was up to. Jack wasn't the only one who knew his partner well.

"Well what do you think it was then Mr. Smarty Pants?"

"I don't know, something to say thank you maybe for accepting her onto the team?"

Jack could hear the pain in Mac's voice as he talked, but at least he was talking, so he'd take that.

Further attempts to draw Mac out weren't very successful and soon they lapsed into a companionable silence as they waited for the doctor.

Dr. Carson Malona loved his job, but sometimes the things he saw got to him especially around the holidays. It was almost Christmas and his heart ached for his patients that wouldn't get to spend Christmas at home or with family. At least for his current patient he had good news and he was grateful for that as he made his way into the waiting room.

"Family of Samantha Cage!" The words had barely left his mouth when five people jumped to their feet and hurried forward. Despite the severity of the situation, seeing so many people care so much about his patient momentarily brightened his day.

"How is she Doc?" a middle aged man with a bit of a Texas drawl asked eagerly. The earnest expression on his face and the faces of the other four people that surrounded him conveyed fear, but tentative hope.

"Will she be okay?" this time it was a younger blond kid.

"I think so, she is currently sleeping and will be for about the next eight hours, but we got to her in time." Dr. Carson allowed his joy at being able to share such good news come through in his smile, "it's quite the Christmas miracle actually, if she'd been found 10 minutes late we'd be having a very different conversation."

The doctor could feel the relief that his words spread through the group and for once he felt glad that he had a shift so close to Christmas.

"You all should go home and get some sleep and eat something since she won't wake up tonight."

Jack was almost out of earshot when he heard the young blond kid exclaim, "No Jack! I'm staying here. I'll sleep in the waiting room."

"Mac you're exhausted and you need to sleep in a real bed."

"I'm fine!" the younger man said almost petulantly.

"No you're not and I'm not taking no for an answer!" That seemed to end the conversation as the older man practically manhandled the blond out of the waiting room.

 _I bet those two are brothers_ the doctor thought. As he found himself smiling again, he wished that he had had the time to learn a little more about this strange little group of individuals.

Despite his protests that he was fine, Mac fell asleep almost the second his head hit the pillow. Jack smiled as he peeked into Mac's room to see if he had taken his advice and tried to sleep. Feeling like his job was done for the night, Jack turned away from Mac's door and found his way to the guest room. He was relieved that Mac was sleeping, but he wasn't about to leave Mac alone at home when Murdoc was still out there. (Bozer and Riley had been called in by Matty and would be spending the night trying to track down Murdoc.)

The next morning, Mac woke to the smell of coffee and toast.

 _Of course Jack would spend the night_ Mac grinned to himself, he never could leave Mac alone when he was worried about him.

As he made his way into the kitchen he made sure to say thanks to Jack for the coffee and toast, but also to let him know that they were going back to the hospital the second he finished his coffee and toast.

"Don't worry, I knew you'd wanna do that and I'm gunna take you there as soon as you finish."

"Good!"

Just as Mac finished his coffee, his cell rang. Thinking that it was the hospital, Mac picked it up quickly.

"Hello."

"Well hello there Macgyver, it's been a long time."

"Murdoc! What do you want? Are you calling to gloat about Cage?"

"Oh no, why would I do that? Besides I've already moved past that. I'm ready to start the next round of our game, aren't you?"

"I'm done with your games Murdoc!"

"Oh really? Well they're not done with you. The next round starts with a simple question. Could you survive my game without your anchor?"

"What are you talking about? What anchor?"

"Ah, ah, ah you violated the rules of the game, you were only supposed to answer the questions I guess I'll have to show you what I mean instead."

Just then something impacted Jack twice in his stomach, his face registered shock as he stumbled.

"Jack!" Macgyver yelled as he lurched forward to steady Jack and ease him to the ground. In doing so he had dropped the phone, but that didn't stop him from hearing Murdoc's chilling last words before the phone disconnected.

"Does that answer your question little Macgyver? He doesn't look so good, you better get him to the hospital. Oh wait, that might be hard. Do you remember the Ghost? He wired your house to explode if you try to leave. He also has a much larger target downtown, isn't that exciting? Well, let the round begin, whatever will you do."


	2. Chapter 2

Mac didn't even register that the phone had disconnected or that the signal had completely disappeared along with any ability to connect to data or wifi. All of his attention was occupied with Jack. His normally highly organized and disciplined brain struggled to stay in control as panic leaked into the back of Mac's mind. This was the time that he would normally depend on Jack to ground him and help him refocus, but with Jack bleeding out in front of him he had no such luxury. The second Jack had been hit, Mac knew what Murdoc had meant. Jack was his anchor and protector and the prospect of losing him had panic quickly taking over. He knew that he should be concerned about the larger target that Murdoc had mentioned, but until he made sure that Jack would be okay, he couldn't bring himself to care about the other target.

As Jack slowly came to, his mind struggled to understand why he was on the floor rather than enjoying the cup of coffee he had been a minute a go and where in the hell was Mac, he could have sworn they were just having a conversation. His awareness was suddenly drawn to what felt like fire in his stomach and he felt himself begin to worry a little bit. He needed to know where Mac was, if he was hurt maybe Mac was too. He was surprised at how hard it was to get his head to cooperate with his thoughts and turn to the side to find Mac, but when he finally spotted him, he was surprised and saddened by what he saw. Mac's eyes were slightly out of focus and he could see the tell tale signs of the beginnings of a panic attack in his body posture, breathing and facial expressions. That worried Jack because it took a lot to make Mac lose control of his emotions and if Mac was worried than Jack was downright terrified, but he couldn't show that. Cairo immediately came to mind and with that a crystal clear knowledge of what he needed to do. He needed to make sure the kid felt safe so that that big brain could come up with a solution to whatever their newest predicament was.

"Mac! Mac!" Jack's voice finally helped Mac gain a modicum of control over his panic and get some of his focus back. The pain filled voice that had cut off Mac's dark thought continued, "it's gonna be okay kid, you'll get us out of this. You always do." Jack's complete faith in him had tears coming to his eyes and a laugh that sounded almost like a sob coming from somewhere deep inside of him.

Jack felt more relief than he was willing to admit when Mac's eyes focused on his and determination flickered in their depths. _That's my boy_ he thought proudly, though he was surprised and touched by the tears he saw in Mac's eyes and suddenly he understood why Mac had looked so shaken up and close to a panic attack. It wasn't their current predicament after all, it was that Jack was shot and bleeding out. He felt a warmth spread through him, that had nothing to do with the exorbitant amount of blood he was losing, as he was reminded again of just how much he meant to Mac.

With his newfound focus, Mac felt that big brain of his, as Jack liked to call it, kick back in and go into overdrive. He quickly surveyed his surroundings to see what he could use to help Jack and for any clue of where the explosives that Murdoc had mentioned might be hidden. His eyes landed on where he kept his amply stocked first aid kit, but quickly dismissed it as the door to the cabinet that held it was open and the kit was plainly missing. Instead he decided on several kitchen towels, a bottle of vodka and a few rolls from his stash of duct tape. Returning to Jack, with the items in hand, he went to work removing Jack's plaid button up and the t-shirt under it. Next he turned him on his side, cringing as he heard Jack's cries of pain. He knew that he had to do this, but it didn't make it any easier. Looking at Jack's back, Mac was grateful that at least both of the bullets had been through and throughs, but that relief was quickly overcome by how much blood Mac saw had gathered under his friend. Shaking himself mentally, Mac forced his emotions back under control and gently laid Jack back on his back. He knew what he had to do next, but he dreaded it.

"This is gonna hurt big guy."

No response had Mac glancing up and his heart rate racing once again as he noticed that Jack's eyes had slid closed. The logical side of his brain registered that it would be much less painful for Jack and for Mac if he was unconscious when his wound was sanitized, but the emotional side of his brain quickly raced down the road of worst case scenarios.

He was almost grateful when the vodka hit the wound and Jack suddenly curled in on himself and let out a whole line of colorful expletives, at least he was awake again. Mac quickly piled the towels on the front and back sides of the wound and tightly wrapped them with duct tape. It was certainly not the kind of triage that Jack needed, but it would have to do for now. Now if Mac could only get them out of this house.

"Jack, Jack listen to me, you have to try to stay awake, ok? I'm going to do a perimeter sweep and see about those explosives."

"Go kid, don't worry bout me, it'll take more than a couple bullets to take out this guy."

Mac prayed that Jack was right as he made his way around his house, keeping a trained eye on every possible exit/entry point. What he saw made his heart sink and despair threatened him once again. Murdoc wasn't lying, there were explosives and the wiring that could trip said explosives lining the outside of the entire house. That wouldn't normally be a problem for a EOD like himself, but this time there was no way to get to them without tripping them. He would have to wait for help and hope that they were able to defuse the bombs quickly enough to get Jack to the hospital before he bled out.


	3. Chapter 3

As Mac's desperation grew, he had to fight harder and harder to stay focused. There was so much riding on him finding a way to do what seemed impossible. Too often in his life his aptitude for improvisation made people believe that he could do anything and the pressure to never disappoint often weighed on Mac, making him feel like he had a very precarious perch on which to rely. Sure, usually he could pull the proverbial rabbit out of his hat, but there was always this nagging fear in the back of his mind that if he messed up one too many times people wouldn't believe in him anymore and he'd lose them just like he had lost his dad. From years of practice he had learned to bury that fear most of the time and that skill had helped him time and again to survive and not only to be able to function in high pressure situations, buto t excel. However, with the life of one of the very few people whom he had grown to trust completely (and to believe that no matter what he did or didn't do, they wouldn't abandon him) on the line, a huge unknown target elsewhere that only he and Jack knew was threatened and very little that he could do with his particular skill set to remedy the situation, that ability to bury fear was beginning to break down.

 _One thing at a time MacGyver,_ he told himself as he tried to line-up in order of urgency the many things that he needed to do. _So,_ he continued his inner monologue, _Jack is as stabilized as I can get him with my current supplies so what's next? I need to alert the team to the fact that we're in trouble and more importantly that the Ghost has another larger target. I also can't forget to make sure that Jack stays awake and doesn't go into shock._

Mac's ordered list let him feel a little bit more in control of the current situation, pacified his rising panic for the time being and helped him intently focus on how to contact the team.

When Mac was a kid he used to watch the TV show Monk because he always enjoyed the logical brain that he and the protagonist of that series shared. Now needing every tool he could use he found himself utilizing the technique that Monk used when he was trying to focus his mind not to miss any clues. He held up his fingers and pantomimed running them over everything he had available to him. As he entered the living room, his gaze was drawn to the karaoke set that was still out from the party that had never gotten off the ground due to Cage's tragic encounter with Murdoc. His mind flew through their possible uses and landed on utilizing just two pieces of the set to get his message out: the karaoke mic and the audio transformer. Before long Mac had used the two pieces to increase the volume that the mic could put out exponentially. Hopefully, that would be enough to get the signal to one of his neighbors without triggering the bombs that surrounded his house. As soon as he was finished he decided on a quick message not knowing how long his hobbled together contraption would last: "Call 911 bomb threat, do not approach this signal it is too dangerous. I repeat call 911 bomb threat large target downtown, this is a very real threat. Angus Macgyver and Jack Dalton are trapped and in danger at the location of this I repeat Ghost" It was, he hoped, enough to get someone to call the police and relay his message. From there he knew that as soon as his and Jack's names popped up in the computer system at police headquarters that Riley would have access to what was going on. He repeated this message again and again until his contraption no longer functioned. As he headed back to check on Jack he found himself praying that someone had gotten his message.

"Riley,," Maddy's commanding voice made Riley jump as it sounded behind her, "where are Jack and Mac? I haven't seen them all morning!"

"I don't know Maddy, last time I heard they headed to Mac's house after you insisted that they get some rest while they could. Maybe, they slept in?" She added hopefully, though her gut told her that that wasn't the case. "Would you like me to call them."

"You don't think I've tried that? Do you really think I would ask you about them if I hadn't already tried to contact them and couldn't?" Maddy replied sharply. "Their phones are going straight to voicemail."

"Both of them? That doesn't bode well… let me see what I can find."

For the next couple of minutes there was a charged silence as Riley typed furiously on her computer attempting to locate her two teammates.

"That's strange…" Riley stated breaking the silence, "their cell phones aren't visible anywhere. It's like they've dropped off the face of the earth."

An alarm sounding on her computer interrupting Maddy's reply.

"What's that?" Maddy demanded.

"It's the alert that I have set up for whenever the name of one of our agents is mentioned in a police file. Just a minute…" Silence reigned once again as Riley quickly shifted through the information in the police report.

"It looks like Mac and Jack just told us where they are. They sent out a message that the LAPD picked up. They're trapped at Mac's house by something dangerous. They didn't say what that danger was, but considering the rest of the message I'm guessing explosives of some kind. It looks like LAPD agrees; the bomb squad has been dispatched. They say that there is another larger target that we need to find" As she summarized her findings Riley's voice became more and more tense as she realized what a predicament her friends were in. The severity of the situation made her freeze for a second, but Maddy's commanding voice quickly snapped her back into focus.

"Riley, I need you to start scanning downtown for any large events that might be the other target they were referring to.I'm going to head down there and help coordinate with the LAPD bomb squad. They have no idea what they're up against and we don't want their ignorance eliminating our people. Bozer you're with me. This will be a great way to continue your training by observing the interactions between our agency and other agencies. Oh and it'll give me a chance to see if you can keep your emotions under control when someone you care about is on the line."

Bozer who had just returned from an ill timed trip to the bathroom hurried to catch up with Maddy.

"Yes, Ma'am, but can I ask a question first? What exactly is going on all I heard is that I'm going with you and that I have to keep my emotions under control, why would that be a factor."

Maddy's next words filled Bozer with dread.

"It's Mac and Jack," Maddy replied matter of factly, "they're trapped at your house and it sounds like there are explosive made by the Ghost keeping them inside. LAPD's bombsquad is in root, but they've never gone up against the Ghost before and so I'm going to coordinate with them to try to get our people our alive. Any other questions?"

"Did I hear you right? Did you say the Ghost?" Bozer's asked in shock, "I thought he was gone."

"Yes, Mr. Bozer I did say the Ghost and apparently he is still very much around." Maddy's crisp reply was laced with impatience and a touch of irritation at having to repeat part of her previous statement.

"Okay, sorry, I just wanted to make sure I understand." Bozer replied meekly.

"Hey Big Guy, how you doing?" Mac asked as he settled next to Jack and tucked a pillow he had grabbed from his room under Jack's head and covered him with a blanket.

"Are you tucking me in?" Jack asked in playful voice laced with pain.

"Yep, I figure it's my turn to helicopter parent you. Now be a good boy and stay awake." Mac replied playfully patting Jack's head.

Their brief moment of levity ended when Mac's statement made Jack laugh, his stomach automatically screamed it's opposition to his expression, as pain ripped through his stomach and he curled in on himself groaning.

The smile that had ghosted across Mac's face at their playful exchange was replaced with pure fear radiating off of him. It was terrifying to see Jack so weak that even his favorite way to gloss over bad circumstances, humor, wasn't open to him. To make matters worse the movement had increased the bleeding that had finally slowed. Instantly, Mac felt guilt crash into him. He should have known better. He should have thought about the consequences before playing along with Jack. It is a scientific fact that laughing requires your stomach muscles and Jack's weren't in any condition to be used. Jack's soft whimpers of pain that he tried to hide only added to Mac's guilt. Mac was just about to find a reason to be anywhere else, since apparently his presence was detrimental to Jack's health when a quiet, but commanding statement from Jack changed his mind.

"Not your fault, brother. Don't you start feeling all guilty about this. None of this is your fault."

"I wasn't feeling guilty!" Mac protested not wanting Jack to worry about him.

"Yeah ya are. I know you, man and I know all your tells. I can practically feel the cloud of guilt around you and I want you to let it go. Please Mac."

"Okay Jack, I'll try." he replied wanting to end the conversation as soon as possible.

"Do or do not; there is no try." Jack told him in his best Yoda accent, hoping that tapping into Mac's inner geek might distract him. The ghost of a smile flitting across Mac's face told him that it might just have worked.

"I didn't know you watched Star Wars…" Mac replied with a levity he didn't feel.

"Hey, just because I'm the brawn and you're the geek doesn't mean I can't like geeky things every once in awhile, sides there's a lot of good fight scenes." Jack defended.

"Whatever you say Jack, but you know that now that I know this there is a Star Wars marathon in our future?"

Jack could tell that the Mac's newfound cheerfulness was only a show, but at least it was a start. As for Mac, Jack's attempt to connect with his geeky side reminded him again of just how lucky he was to have Jack in his life. Even when he was fighting for his life and in a great deal of pain he still cared enough to think of the little things that would help Mac. Sometimes, Mac couldn't quite believe what an essential part of his life Jack had become. He was his brother in every sense of the word and Mac could imagine a world without Jack in it; in fact he refused to even believe that world could exist. Sometimes when one look back on their life, they realize that they never could have guessed how it would turn out. Mac certainly would never have guessed how much Jack would come to mean to him when they first met. As he remembered their early days of knowing each other he had an idea to help Jack stay awake and focus on something other than the pain that he was and his very real need for a hospital.

"Hey Jack, do you remember when we first met?"

"How can I forgot, I think you were the single most annoying young soldier I had ever met."

Getting caught up in the nostalgia, Jack added, "I never would have guessed that you would become my closest friend, my brother. Funny how this world works huh?"

"Yeah," Mac replied, "and for the record I didn't like you much either in those first days."

"But ya love me now," Jack replied with a weak attempt at his normal cocky grin.

"Yeah, yeah I do," Mac replied ruefully, "I couldn't imagine having anybody else as my partner." He wasn't one to voice such sentiments normally, but these weren't normal circumstances and there was a tiny part of his mind that whispered to him that if he didn't say them now he might never have another chance, though that thought was quickly squelched. Mac refused to let his mind go there, he had to keep believing that Jack was going to make it out and to another day. To distract himself from his dark thoughts as much as to help Jack focus on something other than his pain, Mac began recounting his and Jack's first encounter.


	4. Chapter 4

4 years ago- Iraq

Four men sat apart from the hundreds of soldiers milling around the hastily constructed base of operations. It was evident from their posture and the curt way they responded to anyone that tried to interact with them that they wanted to be left alone; the only company they wanted was their own. Each of them also exuded a certain danger and so it didn't take a lot for other soldiers to get the idea and leave them be.

"Man, I'll tell you what if they don't let us off this base soon, they might just have to throw me in the brig for insubordination," one of the men with Coleman emblazoned on the front of his uniform remarked to his friends angrily, "we need to make those sons of bitches pay for what they did to Elliot!"

"I'd be right there with ya brother," a second man replied, this one had Rodriguez written on his uniform. Where Coleman had exuded anger this man put off a sense of loss and sadness. Afterall, Elliot had been his best friend. They had finished Delta training together and had been overjoyed when they'd been assigned to the same team. They had even talked about moving their families to the same neighborhood when they left the service and living out the "American Dream" white picket fence life as neighbors. They both knew that life was most likely not in the cards for them, but dreaming of it, making plans for it somehow made the long nights and painful memories a little easier to handle.

"Now don't be getting any stupid ideas in your heads," a third man with Dalton plainly written on his chest said. His tone denoted authority and clearly commanded the respect of the other men as they instantly looked slightly, though only slightly, apologetic.

"Eh, leave em be Dalton," the final man, Moore, finally entered the conversation, he seemed detached and a bit pissed off that the others had interrupted his silent reverie, "you can't blame em. We just lost one of our own and what do the powers that be tell us, stay in camp, wait for Elliot's replacement. I mean what are they thinking, Elliot's replacement my ass, he can't be replaced. It doesn't make it any better that we can't even the score with the assholes that put him in the ground."

"Damn, Moore, I think that's the longest I've ever heard you talk," Coleman replied with a wry smile, not quite reading the fact that Moore was not in the mood to be teased, "it's nice to see you all worked up. Glad to know you cared."

"Of course I care," Moore responded angrily half rising out of his chair.

"Okay, okay, I'm just teasing Coleman responded holding up his hands in a placating manner.

"What do you think this new EOD is going to be like anyway?" Coleman continued clearly trying to change the subject.

"Dunno, I hear that he's really young though," Rodriguez put in, "if he's as young as they say I almost feel like it'll be an insult to Elliot's name. There are few seasoned soldiers who could even come close to filling his shoes, let alone some bright eyed young upstart."

"Let's not get carried away now before we even meet him," Dalton responded with a finality in his voice that ended the conversation. "Let's turn in."

The next morning the subject of last night's conversation showed up to their little group exuding a confident youthfulness that instantly aggravated the Delta team.

"Macgyver reporting for duty," the young man started as he walked up to the four Delta Force men, "you must be my new team. Who will I be reporting to?"

"That'd be me," Dalton stated coming forward with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Yes sir!" the young man returned.

"And you are?" Moore questioned from Dalton's side.

"Oh right, the name's MacGyver, but my friend's call me Mac."

"Macgyver, huh," Rodriguez stated clearly unimpressed and pointedly not using the nickname that had been offered, "are you sure that they sent you to the right place. You can't have even finished your first year in the service from the looks of you."

"Actually, I'm going into my third year of service and I'm not in the wrong place, I'm your new EOD Specialist, one of the best as promised." Macgyver responded with just a hair of irritation in his voice.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Coleman sneered from the Dalton's other side.

Just then an officer walked up with new orders for the team.

"Well Dalton, it looks like you and your team finally have your wish. You get to head back into the field tomorrow now that your team has a full complement again." The officer told Dalton as he handed over the mission overview.

They would be heading out to a village where the newly renamed ISIS was rumored to have set up camp. Within that village, two journalists were being held, while their videos were circulated demanding prisoners from Guantanamo Bay be released in exchange for their safe return.

Early the next morning Dalton and his team geared up and headed out full of anticipation to be in the field once again. They didn't arrive at the village until late in the afternoon and were disappointed when they found it empty. An ISIS flag hanging on the wall of one of the building told them that ISIS had been there, but had moved on before they arrived. After fully searching every part of the village the team headed back with short tempers from a wasted day. As they gathered that evening, Macgyver made several attempts to engage his new team members in conversation and was rather disheartened to be rebuffed at every turn. Unfortunately, before too long he found a topic they were willing to talk about though not in the way he had imagined. When he asked about the man he was replacing he found out that he had recently been killed in action.

"I'm sorry," Macgyver began, "do you mind if I ask what happened."

As the narration of the mission was recounted by the Delta Team, Macgyver noted that the EOD Specialist most likely beyond exhausted from their long mission had missed a secondary trigger in an the IED that had led to his death. Without thinking and before he could stop himself Macgyver blurted out, "That was a rookie mistake," and before he could even fully process that he had stated that outloud, a fist belonging to Dalton knocked him off balance and was followed by another and another, soon both of them were lost in their anger swinging wildly at each other.

"You didn't know him," Dalton spat at him as he continued his assault.

"At least I know how to disarm a bomb without getting myself killed." Macgyver returned, immediately knowing that that wasn't fair, but too lost in the anger of the moment to care. After all they weren't the only ones who'd lost people. The death of his mentor, commanding officer and friend Pena still weighed heavily on him. It didn't help that since Pena's death he had shutdown a part of himself and often came across as cold and uncaring. No matter how hard he had tried since then, he hadn't seemed to be able to fit in anywhere and in a way didn't really care to. After all, getting too close to those around him just opened him up to more hurt when he lost them. On top of that, his fellow soldiers often took an instant disliking to him when in a conversation he would slip up and correct one of them on a fallacy or an incorrect statement or just drop a fact that he knew. This tendency made those he tried to associate with think that he looked down on them and felt that he was better and smarter than they were.

"He's been an EOD Specialist since you were in elementary school and he was the best. We're his team, not yours, don't you forget it and I don't ever wanna hear you disrespecting him again."

Finally, Rodriguez and Coleman pulled Dalton off Macgyver though they had waited a full three minutes as they too were angered by Macgyver's comment.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say it that way" Macgyver tried having finally cooled down, but the team was clearly not interested they gathered around Dalton and helped him take care of the bruises and cuts from the few punches that Macgyver had managed to land on him.

 _It looks like I'm on my own again,_ Macgyver thought bitterly as he slunk off to care for his own injuries.

Soon Macgyver and the other Delta Force members fell into a routine. He would stay to himself during any free time that they had, but would perform his part flawlessly when on a mission.

Before long the others begrudgingly began to respect his skill as an EOD Specialist though they continued to dislike his company when they weren't in action. The few interactions Dalton and Macgyver had were strained and charged with resistance on either side. They seldom agreed on anything and would often butt heads neither one willing to give in to the other. It wasn't the most functional way for a team to run, but they worked with it and their missions were accomplished in an exemplary fashion.

It was three months later when they finally found or rather stumbled upon the ISIS cell that they had been tracking on their first mission together. They had been sent out on a simple reconnaissance mission to a village to find out if it would be safe to make an outpost nearby. However, about halfway through the village gunfire erupted around them pinning them down and forcing them to find shelter in a nearby building. Working together they cleared the building that they found themselves in and were shocked to discover the journalists that they had been tasked with rescuing in their earlier mission. This success buoyed their flagging morale and soon they had a working, though precarious plan on how to get out of their current predicament. Macgyver would make two IEDs from some supplies he found in the house and the rest of the team would find the thickest materials they could find that could be carried and could serve as a shield. Next, they would use the cover of their explosions to safely exit the village using the shield like materials to provide additional protection. With their plans set, Macgyver and the others set about their tasks and were soon ready to try. Everything fell into place perfectly, until Macgyver saw the light glint off a barrel and calculated the trajectory of the bullet that was in the process of being fired and found, much to his dismay, that it was aimed directly at Dalton who was pulling up the rear of their little formation.

"Jack, get down!" he yelled frightened at the prospect of losing a teammate even one he didn't get along with. Seeing that he couldn't hear him, Macgyver did the only other thing he could think of, threw himself in the path of the bullet. Time slowed as the bullet raced towards him and he found his mind crazily comparing his own body with one of the many things that he used to improvise solutions to the problems he was faced with. If there was nothing around that one could use to fix a problem, improvise with what is available, at that moment his body had been available. The pain as the bullet hit him sent fire throughout his upper body and took his breath away. He hit the ground hard and as he scrambled to his feet his heightened perceptions noticed three things, 1: the look on Jack's face of absolute shock, mingled with gratitude and guilt, 2: the fact that the rest of the team had managed to clear the village, but wouldn't be able to mount a rescue anytime soon as their primary mission had to be to keep the journalists safe and there was no way to do that and rescue the two of them and 3: the fact that he was being pushed into a nearby building.

His perceptions finally slowed down to match reality when the gunfire became quieter as Jack pushed him farther into the building and helped him sit in a chair that Jack had found.

"That was a damn fool thing to do!" Jack told Macgyver, he sounded angry, before his voice turned softer, "but it was also brave and saved my life so I guess I owe you a thank you. What were you thinking anyway?"

"I used what I had on hand, me." Macgyver replied with a wry smile that turned to a grimace as the pain from the bullet once again shot through his body.

"I've never had anybody take a bullet for me before, save my life sure, but take a bullet, no. I don't know quite what to think of it." Jack joked back as he worked on stopping the bleeding.

"It looks like you got lucky kid, it didn't hit anything vital and it's a through and through. I think with a little help you might even be able to walk out of here on your own."

"I'm not a kid, Dalton." Macgyver told Jack.

"You know, kid," Jack replied finding that he enjoyed the annoyed, but amused look that flitted across Macgyver's face every time he called him kid, "anybody that saves my life is allowed to call me Jack. All my friends do."

"Well, in that case you can call me Mac."

In that moment a friendship was born that would come to define both men.

Present

Noise outside the house alerted Mac and Jack that help had finally arrived. If all went correctly, it was only a matter of time until they were home free, though how long that would take was anyone's guess. Mac could remember few times he had felt greater relief course through him, not only had his distraction tactic work keeping Jack awake and alert, but soon he could get the care he so desperately needed.

"You know I never would have guessed when I first met you how much your friendship would become a part of me." Jack told his friend.

"I don't think either of us would have." Mac responded.

"So I guess it was lucky that we got stuck in that building all day and then had to spend the whole night finding our way back to camp huh."

"I guess so."


	5. Chapter 5

Just outside Matty was hard at work coordinating efforts with LAPD, the FBI and Homeland Security. The bomb squad was deployed and hard at work while LAPD cleared the area and the FBI and Homeland asked Matty so many questions that Matty finally put Bozer to work just trying to keep the head agents from each department happy and not jumping down each other's throats. That wasn't something they could afford right now with Mac and Jack's lives on the line. They had only been there for about 15 minutes when the bomb specialist came trotting back from the house.

"What are you doing back already," Matty demanded, "surely you couldn't have already defused the bomb."

"No ma'am," the bomb tech replied obviously intimidated by Matty, "unfortunately, I have to report that the bomb is beyond my skill level, you see…."

"Beyond your skill level," Matty returned her voice level increasing, "aren't you supposed to be the best bomb tech LAPD has."

"That's right ma'am, but that doesn't mean I'm perfect. I've never seen anything like this bomb. I had just found the first trigger and got to work on it when I noticed that it was attached to a secondary trigger. That one attached to another, I've never seen so many triggers in one bomb. I am experienced enough to know when something is beyond my skills, ma'am." The bomb tech replied this time with more confidence.

"Alright then whose skills would be able to work with this bomb?" Matty asked somewhat mollified.

"Honestly, there might not be someone with a high enough skill level, but I would suggest the bomb tech who works with Homeland in D.C. he's the best in the business from what I hear."

That was all Matty needed to hear as she marched over to Agent Culver, the lead for Homeland and demanded in no uncertain terms that he get their top EOD specialist here yesterday or there would be severe consequences. Agent Culver was not an easy man to cow, but he understood Matty's need to get her people out and so did as she asked.

"He will be on the next plane flying out of D.C. but he still won't arrive for over 6 hours."

"That's not good enough," Matty argued, "We have an agent down in there and we don't know how long he has."

"I understand, but it will have to be good enough a straight through flight takes 6 hours."

"Alright, but I want him hear the second he lands."

"Of course."

"In the meantime, I need a way to communicate with my people, any ideas?"

"We could use a loudspeaker," An eager young LAPD officer offered.

"That could work for now," Matty agreed, "but we need a way for them to talk to us as well."

"I'll get that set up right away ma'am," the young officer told her as he hurried off grinning from ear to ear that his suggestion had been approved.

Once the loudspeaker was set up, Matty broadcasted the fact that a bomb specialist that could help was 6 hours away and that they just needed to hold on.

Inside the house, Mac and Jack felt their newfound optimism quickly deserting them and replacing itself with dread as the message was received.

"I don't know if I can get to six hours man." Jack confessed fear and sadness intermingling in his voice.

"Yes you will big guy, I've never met anyone as strong as you Jack." There was so much confidence in Mac's voice that Jack almost missed the fear that flickered through Mac's eyes as well, but then that was his boy, always hiding what he was really feeling. His boy, as those words flicked through his brain again, he found his belief that he would get through this rekindled. He had to, there wasn't a Plan B, if he didn't make it, Jack knew that it would destroy Mac. He would be destroyed by guild, even though no part of this was his fault and he would slip up and Jack wouldn't be there to watch his back. _No_ , Jack told himself strongly, he wasn't going to go there. Right now he needed to keep his thoughts positive, watching Mac's back was his priority mission and no two bullets were gonna keep him from that. Having watched Mac's back for years, he knew that that fear he'd seen cross Mac's eyes would soon return in force and if he didn't do something quickly Mac would withdraw entirely.

"Hey Mac, you remember that night?"

"Which night do you mean?"

"The one in Iraq, that first night. I was so sure that we weren't gonna get out of that town alive. You remember?"

"Yeah, how could I forget?"

4 Years ago- Iraq

Night had finally fallen and with it a sense of peace. Intent on getting Mac back to a medic, Jack ventured out of the house to see if they had a clear route out of town yet. Since no bullets started flying the second he had made it out of the house, he decided to do a little recon. He hadn't gotten very far when he found a group of ISIS fighters gathered around a bonfire talking in Arabic about how much fun it would be to hunt down he and Mac in the morning. They only had one sentry watching the house, but that would be enough to keep them pinned down. As soon as he made out that last part of the conversation he took off at a run. He couldn't believe he'd been so stupid. They had let him leave the house and now they had full access to an injured Mac with no Jack to protect him. As Jack crashed through the door back into the house he and Mac had occupied his ears immediately picked up the sounds of a struggle. He hurried towards the noise and turned a corner to find one of the extremists cutting off the air supply of a weakly struggling Mac. Fury raged through Jack as he surged forward and ripped the man away from Mac and threw him into a wall pummelling him with his fists until Mac's voice broke through the red haze that he was currently lost in.

"I think you got him Jack." Mac said with a smile in his voice.

Jack stopped at Mac's comment and the red haze began to recede from his vision.

"You alright kid?" he asked worried about the damage the man could have done before he got there.

"I'm fine, he just caught me by surprise. You got here only a couple of minutes after he did." Mac reassured his worried companion.

Suddenly Mac lunged at Jack, but before he had time to react Mac passed him and knocked an assailant to the ground who had been sneaking up on Jack. With a few hard punches he had him knocked out just as two of the man's buddies entered the room. By that time, Jack had recovered from the shock of Mac seemingly attacking him and quickly disposed of them.

"See," Mac said to Jack with a grin, "I can take care of myself and you apparently even when I'm injured."

"I guess you can, thanks. That's the second time you've saved my ass."

"Eh, we're almost even. Don't forget you saved my ass too."

"Yeah, I guess I did didn't I." Jack replied cockily.

"Don't forget I'm still up by one. I saved you twice and you've only saved me once."

"I suppose, but who's keeping count?" Jack returned grinning back at Mac. He was really beginning to think that the two of them might just be able to get along.

"Wait," Mac stopped Jack's recollections of the past, "that was the first time you thought we might be able to get along, not when I jumped in front of a bullet for you?"

"Bullet's one thing, having similar senses of humor is a whole nother thing." Jack replied.

"I guess so…" Mac replied. "How are you feeling Jack?" he continued tentatively.

He noticed that Jack's voice had lost some of its luster and Jack complexion was getting whiter.

"Good as I can be Mac, we're gonna get out of this. We always do, don't you worry."

"Yeah, yeah, but I'm still gonna check your dressings."

As Mac peeled back the dressings his worry grew as he noticed the beginning signs of infection and that the wound was still bleeding sluggishly.

"Hey Jack, Jack," Mac said a little louder, shaking Jack's shoulder when he didn't get a response and looked up to notice Jack's eyes out of focus.

"What? I'm fine." Jack returned in a slightly slurred voice. At least his eyes were focusing again, that at least was something.

"No you're not, you're starting to get an infection and your still bleeding. I have to get this bleeding stopped once and for all."

"What did you have in mind," Jack asked a little worried to know.

"Well, I have a couple things in the house that I can mix together that will burn the area around the wound which should help with the infection and stop the bleeding, but it's going to hurt."

"How badly do we need to do this? Can't I just wait for the bomb tech." Jack asked with a distinctly pleading tone in his voice.

"I'm afraid not." Mac replied in a matter of fact tone already getting up to gather the ingredients he needed.

"Yeah, I was afraid of that." Jack mumbled.

Mac returned far sooner than Jack had hoped and got to work combining his materials.

"Alright big guy you ready for this?"

"Just get it over with." Jack replied mentally preparing for the pain.

"Okay, here goes."

As he poured his concoction on Jack, for just a moment Jack was sure he was being tortured as intense pain pulsated in and around his wounds. He felt guilty as he cried out in pain and felt tears begin to leak out of his eyes. He knew that this wasn't easy for Mac and seeing Jack in enough pain that it brought him to tears wasn't making it any easier on the kid.

"Alright, one down, only three more to go."

"Three more, I only got shot twice," Jack whimpered.

"Yeah but there's exit wounds I have to do it to both sides of the wounds."

"Oh"

By the third application, Jack passed out from the pain. Mac was almost relieved as he wasn't sure that he would have even been able to finish if he had kept hearing Jack's cries of pain. Each time they had squeezed his heart with sympathy and guilt for causing Jack any pain.

With the last exit wound was completed, Mac leaned back feeling completely drained only to have his attention drawn back to Jack as his breathing changed speeding up rapidly. Quickly Mac felt for his pulse which only served to strengthen his worry as the skin where he felt for the pulse was rapidly becoming cold and clammy. Jack's heart rate had also gone up substantially. _Shock,_ Mac registered feeling his fear pick back, _what have I done?_ If he had made the wrong call he could have just signed his best friend's death warrant. He was already so weakened from blood loss that Mac wasn't sure that his body could handle shock, especially with help several hours away.


	6. Chapter 6

It had been an hour since Jack had passed out, but for Mac it felt like an eternity. He had done everything he could to make sure that shock didn't get the best of Jack, but as the minutes stretched to an hour and Jack still hadn't woken up he began to lose hope that he ever would. After going over the house again to make sure there was nothing else he could do for Matty or for Jack, double checking Jack's wounds and his breathing, building a little machine that monitored Jack's vitals and even building a random little contraption with no practical purpose to pass the time, Mac was beginning to go a little crazy. In one of his particularly dark moments during that hour he had even built a portable AED just in case. He did not do well with waiting especially when the life of one of his closest friends was on the line. At last he resorted to continuing the story that he and Jack had been reminiscing about. He hoped that the sound of his voice would be a tether that would keep Jack grounded; it was his turn to be Jack's anchor and he desperately hoped that he was even half as good at it as Jack was.

4 Years ago Iraq

"Mac I hope you're ready to go because these guys buddies won't be far behind them."

"I'll be fine Jack, I won't slow us down."

"You slowing us down isn't what I'm worried about, its being able to get you out of this village alive, that's my priority mission now okay." Jack told Mac in a firm voice that didn't allow for disagreement, "I saw a couple cars when I was out scouting and I think we can get to them."

"You think?" Mac asked skeptically.

"Yeah I think and that's as good as you're gonna get right now."

"Okay."

"Okay, let's go."

Jack and Mac crept quietly, though a little clumsily due to Mac's injury, out of the building they had been hiding in and turned down a nearby alley. After a few more turns, they found what they were looking for. Not far from them were five jeeps with machine guns mounted on them, the only problem was that there were also 10 militants milling around the vehicles.

Mac tapped Jack on the shoulder and indicated that they should return to the building they had been in. Once they were out of the militant's earshot, Mac began to describe exactly what he was going to do to distract those militants long enough for them to retrieve one of the trucks. To Jack, it sounded like a bunch of gibberish, but he at least understood that basically Mac was going to build several bombs and place them in a couple of the buildings and then when they were far enough away denote them and snag a truck while the militants checked out the source of the explosion.

"I don't think that's gonna work, man," Jack told him, "likely all it'll do is bring more militants out of hiding."

"You got a better idea," Mac challenged.

"Well no…."

"Then we're going with my idea."

"When did you grow a big enough pair to challenge your superior like this," Jack asked slightly impressed.

"I've always had them, you just haven't noticed."

This dig didn't go unnoticed and Jack made a mental note to pay closer attention to this extraordinary kid.

"Alright, alright, I hear ya kid let's just get this over with."

Mac had everything set in no time and soon they were running through the night to the sound of his explosions trying to get to the trucks and Jack couldn't remember a time he had had so much fun. There was just something about this kid that he couldn't put his finger on that made him feel like the two of them would be doing stuff like this together for a long time to come.

By the time, the two of them made it back to the camp they were well on their way to being close friends. The rest of their team was shocked when they rolled into camp in a stolen truck and Jack let out an excited whoop at making it back to camp in one piece. None of them could remember a time when their leader had looked so happy which was strange considering until a few minutes ago they were convinced both he and their EOD were goners. Over the coming months they notice a change take place in both Jack and Mac. The two of them became inseparable; it became unusual to see one of them without the other nearby. However, that wasn't the only change, Jack smiled a lot more and Mac stopped staying to himself and soon both of them began to show a more light-hearted side of themselves. Their budding friendship even bleed into their work. Where their team had been good before, they no worked like a well oiled machine exceeding expectations at every turn. Their teammates were amazed and a little incredulous at their transformation, but no one was surprised when Jack's tour ended while Mac's was still going that he signed up for another tour so he could keep watching Mac's six.

Outside, Matty was beginning to make progress. The gathering of agencies had one benefit. It didn't take long for them to figure out and neutralize the larger threat downtown. There was a massive event at the Laker's stadium that would have filled it to overflowing. If the threat had not been neutralized the casualties would have easily been the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11. When Matty got the news that the stadium and surrounding area had been evacuated and the bombs had been discovered, she quickly relayed the information to Mac and Jack hoping that it would help keep their spirits up.

Jack's moan instantly snapped Mac back to the present and had him kneeling at his side to see what he could do to help.

"Hey Mac, you know I love you and all, but I think one Mac is enough, why am I seeing three right now."

"It's alright Jack you're just experiencing shock, but I got your six just like you've always had mine," Mac replied with more gusto then he felt.

"Then I couldn't be in better hands," Jack's attempt at a reassuring smile broke Mac's heart and had him putting a hand on Jack's arm to remind himself that at least for now Jack was still with him.

"How much time we got on the clock brother?"

"Just over four hours," Mac reluctantly replied.

"Oh, well that's good. We're already halfway there then."

"I think you mean a third," Mac replied automatically before cringing. This wasn't the time to be correcting Jack or reminding him just how long he still had to hold out.

The next couple hours were agony for Mac as he watched Jack slowly slip farther and farther away from him. They both had always known that the day might come when one of them would lose the other, but sitting there, watching it happening and knowing there was literally nothing Mac could do for his best friend, was in his opinion the worst possible scenario. He had always secretly hoped that whenever one of them went, both of them would because he couldn't imagine a world without Jack in it and he knew that Jack felt the same way about him, but as the hours ticked by at what felt like a snail's pace the possibility of such a world reached up and threatened to drown Mac. After Jack lost consciousness again, he found himself obsessively checking Jack's breathing and heart rate and always keeping a hand on Jack to reassure himself that he hadn't lost him yet, or perhaps the reason was even more fantastic. Since Mac didn't have any other way to occupy his big brain he tried to analyze why he was terrified that if he lost physical contact with Jack, he would lose him all together. Eventually he came to the conclusion that somewhere in his brain the gesture was both a reassurance to himself and an anchor that he hoped like hell would anchor Jack to the world of the living. With that problem satisfactorily analyzed his mind searched for another one. The first one that came to mind was his and Jack's friendship. He began to wonder if Jack had any idea how much he really meant to him. Jack always wore his heart on his sleeve around Mac so it had always been abundantly clear just how much Mac meant to him. Mac on the other hand hid all of his emotions. It was a defense mechanism he had learned as a child and perfected as an adult. It had a lot of upsides like making him a harder target for the insecure people around him who got their kicks by making those around them feel smaller and less adequate. It was also a very helpful tool as a spy. However, the drawbacks were enormous. Right now the biggest one that Mac could think of was that he never told those around him what they meant to him, he played it cool and even aloof sometimes. A bystander, watching his interactions with Jack might think that he felt inconvenienced and annoyed by Jack regularly, but the truth was just the opposite, without Jack his life would be a mess and he knew it, though he would never admit it. He had been in a dark place after he lost Pina and felt like he would never be able to trust anyone again and that his very existence seemed to chase people away whether it was through death like Pina, his grandfather and his mom or through just physically leaving him like his dad. Jack had put his pieces back together and somehow improved on them. He would never quite understand Jack's effect on him.

At hour five, Jack stirred again and Mac quickly leaned into Jack's sight.

"Jack? You with me big guy?"

"Just barely," Jack struggled to get out even those few words. Mac saw Jack still himself, gather his strength and then continue. "Hey Mac?"

"Yeah?"

"I just gotta say something…" at those words Mac went cold. He knew what this was though every part of him vehemently denied it. He was listening to Jack's last words.

"You can tell me when we get you out of here at the hospital, okay…" Mac said a begging yet terrified undertone breaking through as Mac's eyes suddenly began to fill with tears. _This is stupid,_ Mac thought, _why am I crying. I never cry and this isn't the time for tears, Jack's gonna make it out of here. Tears mean I'm giving up and I'll never give up on Jack's life!_ Mac wiped any trace of tears from his eyes and told Jack he needed to just rest and hold on.

"Can you do that for me buddy?"

"You know I'd do anything for ya man, but that is one favor I can't do for you, I gotta say this."

Jack's words silenced Mac, who stilled himself for Jack's next words.

"I'm not giving up Mac" Jack began looking directly into Mac's eyes to make sure that he heard and registered that. "I'm gonna keep fighting because I need to be here to watch your six, but just in case I want to make sure you know how much you've meant to me. You've alway been there for me. You gave me a purpose after the sandbox and you've saved my life a thousand times over, but the thing that means the mosts to me is that we're family. You're my brother and I love ya man. Meeting you was one of the best things that ever happened to me and no matter what happens here I want you to keep on living. You owe me that, you understand? Because I've saved your life more times than I care to remember too. And when I say keep on living, I mean really living, find a way to be happy, maybe a girl, and make sure you get a damn good partner."

"Nobody could ever come close to you Jack," Mac interrupted the tears he'd tried to get rid of back in full force. "Please Jack, don't leave me…" Mac sounded much younger and more vulnerable than his age just then and it tore at Jack's heart.

"I'll always be here Mac, watching your back, no matter what. Even if I don't make it out of here I'll still be in here" Jack pointed to Mac's heart "and if I can help it I'll follow you around and haunt your ass." Jack tried to laugh, but instead coughed. The cough tore through him relighting the fire that had subsided somewhat forcing Jack to groan in pain. Even in the midst of so much pain however, he didn't miss how a ghost of a smile had appeared on Mac's face when he mentioned haunting him. It disappeared and turned into naked fear the second Jack coughed and groaned, but it was still something and he'd take it. Jack convinced himself that that meant that Mac would make it through this somehow no matter what happened to Jack and that thought gave Jack peace and he felt unconsciousness start to pull him under again. He knew that this might be the last time he ever woke up and so perhaps selfishly he reached out and grabbed Mac's hand bringing Mac's eyes back to him. As soon as he caught Mac's eyes he mouthed I love you brother as talking had become too difficult. He saw Mac's mouth open as he tried to say something, but couldn't make it out. His last thought was that if this was it this is exactly how he wanted to die. He had always been afraid that he would die alone and that no one would really care that much, but seeing the tears in Mac's eyes and the love on his face finally eliminated that fear. He wanted Mac, his little brother, his best friend, the one who had pulled him back from the darkness that had threatened to overtake him as a Delta, and the best thing that ever happened to him to be the last thing that he saw. He felt his lips turn up in a smile before oblivion pulled him away.

*************************************************************************************************************When Jack had opened his eyes and started talking to him, Mac had let himself feel hope that Jack would make it, that this wasn't the end for them. However, his hope was quickly doused when he registered what Jack was trying to do: say goodbye. Everything in him rebelled at that concept and so he had tried to get Jack to stop, but Jack wouldn't stop. His words ripped apart Mac's world with the kindness, comfort and love they wrapped around him because somewhere inside of him he knew that when Jack stopped talking he would lose all of those things forever. Jack's joke about haunting him brought a smile to him through his tears and lightened the mood for a minute, just as Jack had meant it to he knew. However, the mood lost all it's light a moment later when Jack's laugh turned into a cough and then a groan as he curled in on himself. A moment later, Mac felt Jack's hand in his. As his eyes met Jack's he saw him mouth, "I love you brother" and lock eyes with Mac, his eyes' intense seeming to memorize everything about Mac. Mac knew it was now or never and had just opened his mouth to tell Jack how much he meant to him when a smile ghosted across Jack's face and then unconsciousness took him away. That small act broke MacGyver. It felt too real, too final and he couldn't hold in his emotions anymore. Tears flooded his eyes and sobs shook his shoulders as he held Jack close to him, knowing that it was only a matter of minutes before he'd be gone. He realized that he was repeating please, over and over again, please, not him too. He didn't know who he was saying it to, Jack, God, the universe, all he knew was that he couldn't lose him, but his pleas went unheeded.

What little was left of his world came crashing down when the worst case scenario pulled him back to the present, Jack's breathing hiccuped and then stopped. Mac reached for his neck hoping to still find a pulse when that hope too was dashed. His best friend, his brother, his protector, the one who was always there for him no matter what, who he felt really understood him, who gave him hope in the darkest times was gone and he hadn't even gotten to tell him what he meant to him. He had tried, but just as he had started to, oblivion had pulled them apart forever another line in the cruel joke that was his life.


	7. Chapter 7

Mac's world spun as he began CPR on Jack begging Jack to stay with him. The moment he no longer felt a pulse, the darkest hole he'd ever experienced opened inside him and he understood completely why Murdoc had called Jack his anchor. Jack's boundless optimism and complete devotion to Mac no matter what had held his world together for so long. It was because of that friendship that he had even allowed himself to open up again after Pina had died. Without Jack, Mac didn't want to think about where he'd be, one thing he did know though, he would be wallowing in complete hopelessness. Life took everyone he ever cared about away from him. The only exception had been Bozer, but even with him Mac's secret had kept him from opening up fully to Bozer even after the secret was out in the open. If Jack didn't come back to him, Mac didn't think he'd be able to get through it. He knew that the guilt he would carry about Jack being dead because of him coupled with not having the man around to pull him out of the guilt would destroy him. He was the one the Ghost and Murdoc wanted revenge on, not Jack, he'd just been unlucky enough to get attached to Mac and spent too much time around him. As Mac continued CPR a voice inside him whispered that he wouldn't be able to save him, just like Pina, just like his mom and grandfather. There were downsides to having a big brain and this was one of them, he couldn't stop thinking, thinking about all the people he had let down or who had been hurt because of him. Murdoc's mocking words sounded again in his ears, "Could you survive my game without your anchor?" _Turns out,_ Mac thought bitterly, _I don't want to._

A gentle, cautious touch on his arm broke into his consciousness. The EOD had finally arrived apparently and defused the bomb as a whole team of paramedics led by Matty, Bozer and Riley had arrived.

************************************************************************************************************* The six hours had been hell on Bozer and Riley. Even Matty felt their weight, though she tried to conceal it. After they had succeeded in negating the larger threat to downtown they had been left with very little to do, but wait. Riley had joined them shortly after they had secured the stadium. Her first question was about what was going on inside.

"We don't know," Matty replied, "they haven't communicated with us in some time. Mac said he didn't know how long his little device would last. Still I wish we could get eyes in there."

Was that concern she detected in Matty's tone, Riley wondered. Matty showing concern would have made Riley smile in any other circumstances, but this time it just warmed her heart. The three of them waited anxiously together for the bomb tech to arrive so they could get to their friends. After what seemed like an eternity, he arrived and after longer than any of them would have preferred he finally succeeded in defusing the bomb.

The second they were given the green light Matty mobilized paramedics and hurried to the house. The sight that greeted them as they finally entered the house would stay with all of them forever. Mac was working furiously and single-mindedly on keeping Jack in the land of the living. Tears tracked down his cheeks as he begged Jack to stay with him. None of them had ever seen Mac like this. He didn't even seem to register their presence so Bozer took it upon himself to approach his best friend. Cautiously, like one might approach an injured wolf, he advanced towards Mac his hand out in a placating manner. When he finally reached his side he put a hand on Mac's shoulder. At his touched Mac jerked back to awareness of his surroundings. He looked around wildly for what had touched him landing on Bozer, before quickly going back to Jack.

"He's gone, Boze" Mac whispered, "he's gone and I couldn't do a damn thing about it. I didn't even tell him how much he meant to me."

"He knew Mac," Bozer replied willing Mac to believe him, "he knew I promise, we all did. How much you care about each other has always been very clear to everyone around you and it was to him to."

"What am I supposed to do now?" Mac asked as he lifted his eyes to meet Bozer's again looking completely lost and Bozer had no idea what to tell him.

The paramedics were close by now and one was attempting to take over Jack's care.

"Sir," she pleaded, "please we might still be able to help him."

Her words instantly broke through to Mac and his eyes snapped to hers searching for any indication she might be lying to him. When he didn't see any, he slid away from Jack and let her get to work.

Mac wouldn't take his eyes off Jack as the paramedics swarmed him, each trying every method they knew to save him. A complete sense of defeat filled Mac with numbness. There was nothing they could do and there was nothing Mac hated more than feeling useless when someone he cared about was in danger. He fell back against the wall and felt all of his energy leave him as all of the adrenaline that had been coursing through him dissipated. However, one phrase instantly restored some of his energy.

"We have a pulse. Quick load him up."

He didn't know how they'd done it, but they had brought Jack back. Hope flooded his body and made him dizzy with relief, though he quickly reminded himself that that didn't mean Jack would survive. Hope could be painful, he knew and so he quickly squelched most of it only allowing a small flicker to remain as he followed the gurney to the ambulance. He felt his way being barred from entering the back as the paramedics explained there wasn't room for him. Someone manhandled him away from the ambulance and into a car and heard Matty commanding voice telling him to calm down and focus Jack needed him here in the present not lost in that big brain of his.


	8. Chapter 8

Later when Mac looked back on that terrifying afternoon he would realize that his big brain that was always working and always had eidetic memory had failed him that afternoon. He couldn't even remember getting into the car, much less the ride to the hospital. As he tried to analyze his reaction, the closest thing that he could compare it to was shock. The kind of shock that one's body can go into after an adrenaline dump. The moment Jack's fate had been taken out of his hands, he had almost physically felt the adrenaline leaving his body followed by numbness. After arriving at the hospital, he could only remember vivid snippets like looking at the clock for the thousandth time and realizing that they had received no new news on Jack in four hours or the gentle way that the normally assertive Maddy had rested her hand on his shoulder and told him stories of some of the worst situations she and Jack had ever found themselves in and how Jack was always strong enough to make it out. However, the moment he remembered the most vividly was the look on the vaguely familiar doctor's face when he made his way out to them and asked for the family of Jack Dalton.

Dr. Carson Malona had finished his shift at the hospital, finally gotten a few hours of sleep and was just making himself a quick breakfast when his pager buzzed. After the emotionally draining case he had just been on yesterday morning with that group of close friends who came so close to losing one of their own, he hoped that this case would be easier as he quickly finished his coffee and stuffed a few more bites in his mouth before reaching for his bag and doctors coat and hurrying out the door. His hopes, however, were brutally dashed when he arrived at the hospital and was quickly ushered back to the operating room. As he walked in the door, his eyes caught a glimpse of the patients face and he froze. It was unprofessional to be sure, but a deep sense of denial and a bit of dread turned his stomach into knots.

His brain tried to rationalize and tell him that there was no way that this patient was one of the group of friends he'd felt such a connection with yesterday; they had just been on his mind and it was a trick of the light, but as he walked up next to the patient as the other medical professionals finished prepping him he looked him in the face and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt who he was. He was the guy that he assumed was the blond's big brother because of how they interacted with each other, relied on each other, comforted each other and anchored each other. His heart lurched at how cruel life could be. That group had already gone through so much with their friend Samantha being shot and now this. I wonder how his little brother is taking this, Dr. Malona thought worriedly. Strangely there was a part of him that wanted to go and see how the younger man was doing and comfort him, but he knew that his place was here and the most comfort he could give him was to make sure his brother made it home for the holidays.

Over the next six hours he put everything he had saving this man. As he worked on him, it was almost as though he could sense the younger man's fear and anxiety. When his patient coded on the table not once or twice but three times that sense pushed him to redouble his efforts and even try an experimental way to help his patient. At last after six hours the surgery was done. He knew that he had done everything he could to save the man, but he couldn't help thinking that it just wasn't enough. As they settled his patient in the ICU, he knew he had to go talk to his patient's family, but found that his feet felt like cement blocks slowing him down and fighting to prevent the conversation he knew he had to have.

He stepped into the waiting room and immediately saw the same group of friends from yesterday with one notable exception. "Family of Jack Dalton"

The whole group jumped up and hurried forward the young blond leading the way.

"How is he?" the young man blurted out earnestly his face hesitantly hopeful until he took in the doctor's face. That was when abject fear took over.

Dr. Malona had had so many conversations like this, so he couldn't figure out why this one was so hard. It reminded him of how he had felt the first several times he had had to have this conversation. Forcing himself to make eye contact with the young blond, he began an explanation of all the things that had happened during surgery and the fact that Jack had coded three times, but the hardest part was telling the young man that there was a very small likelihood that his brother would ever wake up again.

When he said the word brother, he saw the blond's eyebrows shoot up and a look of confusion cross his face before a look of understanding filled his face. I was wrong Dr. Malona noted they're not brothers, but they definitely have a deep bond, I wonder if they're partners in a law enforcement agency or maybe they served together?

His brief escape from the conversation was interrupted when the young man stated insistently,

" You don't know Jack, he's the toughest son of a bitch I've ever known, he will make it through this."

Though the young man's words were full of confidence there was a hint of emptiness in them that let Dr. Malona know that the boy was trying to convince himself as much as Jack's doctor.

"When can I see him?"

"They were just getting him settled when I came to talk with you guys. He should be ready now, but he can only have one visitor at a time."

"That'll be Mac," the African American young man that had been hovering by the blond's side protectively told everyone.

"Of course." a middle aged woman who though short in stature exuded authority agreed.

"Well it's settled then" Mac, so that was his name, told the doctor, "lead the way."

It didn't take long for Mac and Dr. Malona to arrive at Jack's door.

"He's in there and from what I saw yesterday you're his best chance of making it through this." Dr Malona told the young man keeping his voice encouraging and carefully avoiding his own doubt that the man would be okay.

The young man next to him lit up for a minute as he realized why the doctor had looked so familiar.

"You were Cage's doctor. That's why you looked so familiar" Mac paused and then hurried on, "thank you for taking care of my friends. Yesterday was hard enough, but if I lose Jack..."

"Try not to think about that now, just keep Jack company and remind him how important it is that he makes it back to our world."

"Yeah, you're right." Mac told the doctor before grabbing the door handle to Jack's room. He pushed open the door and froze. Dr. Malona had seen this before and quickly moved to the young man's side and placed a hand on his shoulder. At first the young man flinched away from his touch but then seemed to accept it as tears began to run down his face at the state his friend was in. It took a couple minutes, but Mac finally pushed his emotions back into check and thanked the doctor for his support as he made his way to Jack's side and was soon wholly absorbed with his friend. Dr. Malona knew that he had done all that he could and this was his cue to leave so he quietly exited the ICU room and returned to his other duties leaving Mac to watch over Jack.


End file.
